Mobile irradiation platform for hollow-body laminates and method for curing a hollow-body laminate

Abstract

A mobile irradiation platform, in particular for use in pipe lining processes for sewer or manhole rehabilitation, includes a chassis, one or more irradiation devices mounted in the chassis, and configured to emit radiation energy and having a radiation direction extending radially to a longitudinal extent of the irradiation platform, a plurality of stabilizing arms articulated to the chassis and designed to centrally support the chassis in the interior of a hollow body, and at least one dielectric sensor attached to a chassis-remote end of one of the plurality of stabilizing arms and designed to detect changes in dielectric properties in the environment of the stabilizing arm.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A mobile irradiation platform, comprising:
 a chassis; 
 one or more irradiation devices mounted in the chassis and configured to emit radiation energy, and having a radiation direction extending radially to a longitudinal extent of the irradiation platform; 
 a plurality of stabilizing arms hingeably connected to the chassis and designed for centrally supporting the chassis in the interior of a hollow body; and 
 at least one dielectric sensor attached to a chassis-remote end of one of the plurality of stabilizing arms and designed to detect changes in dielectric properties in the environment of the stabilizing arm. 
 
     
     
       2. The mobile irradiation platform according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a process controller mounted in the chassis and designed to dynamically adjust operating parameters of the irradiation platform depending on the dielectric properties in the environment of the stabilizing arm detected by the dielectric sensor. 
 
     
     
       3. The mobile irradiation platform according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a platform controller mounted in the chassis and designed to collect and evaluate measurement data detected by the dielectric sensor. 
 
     
     
       4. The mobile irradiation platform according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a data interface coupled to the platform controller and designed to transmit the measurement data of the dielectric sensor collected by the platform controller to a device external to the platform. 
 
     
     
       5. The mobile irradiation platform according to  claim 4 , wherein the data interface comprises a wireless communication module. 
     
     
       6. The mobile irradiation platform according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 casters attached to chassis-remote ends of the plurality of stabilizing arms. 
 
     
     
       7. The mobile irradiation platform according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more irradiation devices comprise UV light sources. 
     
     
       8. A sewer rehabilitation system, comprising:
 a pipe liner the wall of which is formed by a hollow body laminate with a UV-curable composite layer; and 
 at least one mobile irradiation platform designed to cure the composite layer of the hollow body laminate of the pipe liner from the inside out into a hollow body forming an inner lining of a sewer to be rehabilitated, the at least one mobile irradiation platform comprising:
 a chassis; 
 UV light sources mounted in the chassis and configured to emit UV radiation energy, and having a radiation direction extending radially to a longitudinal extent of the irradiation platform; 
 a plurality of stabilizing arms hingeably connected to the chassis and designed for centrally supporting the chassis in the interior of the hollow body; and 
 at least one dielectric sensor attached to a chassis-remote end of one of the plurality of stabilizing arms and designed to detect changes in dielectric properties in the environment of the stabilizing arm. 
 
 
     
     
       9. A method for curing a hollow body laminate, comprising:
 placing a mobile irradiation platform in the interior of a hollow body laminate having a composite layer cured using radiation energy; 
 supporting the mobile irradiation platform against the inner wall of the hollow body laminate using stabilizing arms articulated to a chassis of the irradiation platform; 
 irradiating the hollow body laminate with radiation energy from irradiation devices mounted in the chassis; and 
 detecting changes in dielectric properties of the hollow body laminate in the environment of the stabilizing arm by means of a dielectric sensor attached to a chassis-remote end of one of the stabilizing arms. 
 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising a step of dynamically adjusting operating parameters of the irradiation platform depending on changes in the dielectric properties of the hollow body laminate in the environment of the stabilizing arm detected by the dielectric sensor. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising a step of wirelessly transmitting measurement data detected by the dielectric sensor via a data interface of the mobile irradiation platform to an external device outside the interior of the hollow body laminate. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the irradiation devices comprise UV light sources.